Quantitative myocardial perfusion response to adenosine and regadenoson in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to compare the quantitative flow responses of regadenoson against adenosine using cardiac 15O-water PET imaging in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Hyperemic myocardial blood flow (MBF) after adenosine and regadenoson was compared using correlation and Bland-Altman analysis in 21 patients who underwent rest and adenosine 15O-water PET scans followed by rest and regadenoson 15O-water PET scans. RESULTS: Global mean (± SD) MBF values at rest and stress were 0.92 ± 0.27 and 2.68 ± 0.80 mL·g·min for the adenosine study and 0.95 ± 0.29 and 2.76 ± 0.79 mL·g·min for the regadenoson study (P = 0.55 and P = 0.49). The correlations between global and regional adenosine- and regadenoson-based stress MBF were strong (r = 0.80 and r = 0.77). The biases were small for both global and regional MBF comparisons (0.08 and 0.09 mL·min·g), but the limits of agreement were wide for stress MBF. CONCLUSION: The correlation between regadenoson- and adenosine-induced hyperemic MBF was strong but the agreement was only moderate indicating that established cut-off values for 150-water PET should be used cautiously if using regadenoson as vasodilator.

Yield of elective coronary angiography; gender differences, patient history, risk factors and angiographic findings in a primary care population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess yield of elective coronary angiography and gender differences in primary care patients suspected to have stable coronary artery disease (SCAD). DESIGN: Information was gathered from an angiography registry, referral texts of the general practitioners and medical records made by the cardiologists in secondary care. SETTING: Angiography registry data analyses of the Turku University Hospital, Finland, in the year 2011. SUBJECTS: Two hundred forty-six patients who were referred from primary care to secondary care and underwent coronary angiography for suspected SCAD symptoms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Gender differences and diagnostic yield of coronary angiography for obstructive CAD. RESULTS: Obstructive CAD was identified in 73%, more often in males than in females (51% vs. 84%, p < 0.001). Thirteen per cent of the patients were over 80 years of age, and 94% of them had obstructive CAD. The prevalence of hypertension was 60%, treatment goal was achieved by 25%. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic yield of elective coronary angiography was low in women compared to men although there were no substantial differences in evidence-based medication, risk factors or anticipated angina symptoms between genders. Key Points Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death globally. Invasive cardiology has expanded rapidly since the 1990s. Among symptomatic primary care patients who underwent elective coronary angiography in secondary care, obstructive CAD was identified in 73% Diagnostic yield of coronary angiography was low in women compared to men. GPs treat their male and female patients suspected of having stable CAD equitably regarding evidence-based medication.

Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes of Patients Having Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement With Versus Without Simultaneous Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Coronary artery disease is a common co-morbidity of aortic stenosis. When needed, adding coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is the standard treatment method, but the impact of concomitant CABG on long-term outcomes is uncertain. We compared long-term outcomes of SAVR patients with and without CABG. Hospital survivors aged ≥50 years discharged after SAVR ± CABG in Finland between 2004 and 2014 (n = 6,870) were retrospectively studied using nationwide registries. Propensity score matching (1:1) was used to identify patients with comparable baseline features (n = 2,188 patient pairs, mean age 73 years). The end points were postoperative 10-year major adverse cardiovascular outcome (MACE), all-cause mortality, stroke, major bleeding, and myocardial infarction. Median follow-up was 6 years. Cumulative MACE rate (39.5% vs 35.6%; hazard ratio [HR] 1.04; p = 0.677) and mortality (32.7% vs 31.0%; HR 1.03; p = 0.729) after SAVR were comparable with or without CABG. Myocardial infarction was more common in patients with CABG (13.4% vs 6.9%; HR 1.47; p = 0.0495). Occurrence of stroke (15.1% vs 13.5%; p = 0.998) and major bleeding (20.0% vs 21.9%; p = 0.569) were comparable. There was no difference in gastrointestinal (8.1% vs 10.3%; p = 0.978) or intracranial bleeds (6.0% vs 5.5%; p = 0.794). The use of internal mammary artery in CABG did not have an impact on the results. In conclusion, matched patients with and without concomitant CABG had comparable long-term MACE, mortality, stroke, and major bleeding rates after SAVR. In conclusion, our results indicate that need for concomitant CABG has limited impact on long-term outcomes after initially successful SAVR.

Occurrence and mortality of vasospastic angina pectoris hospitalised patients in Finland: a population-based registry cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The occurrence and mortality of vasospastic angina pectoris (VAP) is largely unknown in western countries. Our objective was to clarify the occurrence, gender-distribution and mortality of VAP in Finland using a population-based hospital registry. METHODS: We studied consecutive patients aged ≥18 years hospitalized with VAP as the primary cause of admission in Finland during 2004-2014. The data were collected from obligatory nationwide registries. During the study period 1762 admissions were recorded. RESULTS: Majority of all VAP patients were male (59.7%) and mean age was 65.7±12.0 years. Annual admission rate for VAP was 2.29/100 000 person-years. Men were in higher risk for VAP than women (admission rate 3.00/100 000 vs 1.68/100 000; RR 1.70; p<0.0001). Gender difference was not modified by age. Likelihood of VAP was highest in population aged 70-84 years. Admission rate for VAP decreased notably during the study period. One-year all-cause mortality was 8.0% and 3-year mortality was 15.5% (cardiac mortality 11.1%). Mortality was associated with increasing age, comorbidity burden and lack of detected coronary artery obstruction, but was similar between genders and during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Men have higher risk for vasospastic angina caused admissions. Likelihood of vasospastic angina admission was highest in aged population. The 3-year all-cause mortality was 15.5%. Mortality was associated with increasing age, comorbidities and non-obstructive VAP diagnosis but was similar between genders.

Occurrence and Features of Childhood Myocarditis: A Nationwide Study in Finland.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiology of myocarditis in childhood is largely unknown. Men are known to have a higher incidence of myocarditis than women in adults aged <50 years, but whether this is true by sex in pediatric age groups is unknown. We set out to study the occurrence and potential sex differences of myocarditis in a general pediatric population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data of all hospital admissions with myocarditis in Finland occurring in patients aged ≤15 years from 2004 to 2014 were collected from a mandatory nationwide registry. All patients with myocarditis as a primary, secondary, or tertiary cause of admission were included. Total and age- and sex-specific incidence rates were calculated using corresponding population data. There were 213 admissions with myocarditis in pediatric patients. Myocarditis was the primary cause of admission in 86%. The overall incidence rate of myocarditis was 1.95/100 000 person-years. Of all patients, 77% were boys, but sex differences in incidence rates were age-dependent. In children aged 0 to 5 years, there was no sex difference in the occurrence of myocarditis. Boys aged 6 to 10 years had a higher incidence rate compared with girls (72% boys; incidence rate ratio: 2.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-5.89; P=0.04). Sex difference further increased in children aged 11 to 15 years (80% boys; incidence rate ratio: 3.5; 95% confidence interval, 2.68-5.67; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Myocarditis leading to hospital admission is relatively uncommon in children, but occurrence of myocarditis increases with age. There is no sex difference in the risk of myocarditis during the first 6 years of life, but boys have a significantly higher risk at ages 6 to 15 years.

Estrogen-progestin contraceptive use during adolescence prevents bone mass acquisition: a 4-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Estrogen-progestin contraception may affect estrogen production and alter the development of peak bone mass. STUDY DESIGN: A 4-year follow-up with 122 adolescent women aged 12-19 years. The data were divided into three groups based on estrogen-progestin contraceptive (EPC) use: (i) nonusers (n=52), (ii) 1-2 years of use (n=24) and (iii) use for more than 2 years (n=46). The estrogen dose of the preparations was < or =35 mcg. Height, weight, and the amount of exercise (ratio of work metabolic rate, h/week) as well as bone mineral content (BMC) of lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured repeatedly. RESULTS: There was a significant trend showing less of an increase in the mean adjusted BMC of lumbar spine in the group of adolescent women who had used EPC for more than 2 years compared with the two other groups. In the mean adjusted BMC of the femoral neck, there was a significant trend of a smaller increase in EPC users for more than 2 years compared with 1-2 years of use. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term EPC with low-dose estrogen preparations seems to suppress normal bone mineral accrual in adolescent women.